ABSTRACT
The matter of Earth of air, water, soil, forests, stones, seeds, kangaroos, wattles, eucalypts, viruses, magpies, tiger snakes, creeks, humans, mosquitoes, mountains and seas and the matter of women's lives intertwine in complex ways that cannot be reduced to a simple identification of woman with Earth. The idea of transcendence expresses an orientation toward the other. In traditional theologies this transcendent orientation is toward something or someone people call God and perceive as a super-natural other. In a similar way, the matter of air is a medium for a material engagement between many Earth others, connecting humans and other animals to myriad others across space and time. Fire also impacts other animals whose lives are interdependent both to their detriment and their flourishing with Victoria's ash forests. Gaard sets the human need for clean drinking water against the continuing use of water for the disposal of human waste, sewerage.
